Holy Trinity Catholic School Division is celebrating the success it has had working with Prairie South School Division on a future transportation plan for the new joint-use school.
Both divisions entered into a memorandum of agreement during the 2018-19 school year to pursue joint busing for the South Hill neighbourhood once the new school is completed. There is still work ahead for the boards of both divisions on this issue, including co-ordination to ensure the processes and bus routes are in place.
The Catholic division highlighted the early successes of that partnership during its recent board meeting. The successes were part of a report that looked at transportation overall in the division last year.
Many people have asked about whether it’s possible to find efficiencies in working together on joint transportation, said Sean Chase, director of education for Holy Trinity. He was unable to quantify how many hours were spent during the previous school year exploring that possibility, but pointed out a feasibility study said efficiencies are possible once the new school is ready by September 2023.
Specifically, the report suggested there could be a decrease in the average amount of time students spend on the bus. Chase remarked that no one wants to spend any more time on a bus than is necessary. He thought it was great that there has been uninterrupted success so far in planning transportation for the joint-use school.
The division will send out a survey to parents asking if it is meeting their transportation needs and what could be addressed.
“We’re really proud of the work done by our staff, the work of Prairie South Schools’ staff, right up to the board level for co-operation and the vision to institute this,” he added.
Transportation data
Holy Trinity operated a fleet with nine bus routes in Moose Jaw during the 2018-19 school year, of which eight were double routes and one was a triple route, the report said. Two spare buses were available on an as-required basis. A passenger bus transported seven students to Vanier Collegiate.
The division bussed 642 students daily on 38 transportation runs, which included 16 double runs and two triple runs. The buses travelled 512.37 kilometres every day — including regular routes and 650 charter trips — for a total of 123,612 kilometres for the year.
The average one-way ride time was 33 minutes, with the longest one-way ride time being 80 minutes. The cost to bus one student was $751.17.
The average age of each bus was 7.5 years old.
Holy Trinity contracted transportation services in Moose Jaw and worked with Prairie South to bus students, the report said. PSSD bussed eight students who were specially designated and required specialized transportation. This route cost Holy Trinity $40,459.15.
The Catholic division spent $31,552.50 last year on bus passes with Moose Jaw Transit to help high school students on South Hill attend Vanier Collegiate.
The transportation department’s budget was $818,714.55, with actual expenses at $845,010.81. Expenses included driver salaries, operation of the bus compound, professional development for drivers and contracted transportation.
Prairie South School Division provided has helped maintain Holy Trinity’s bus fleet since Sept. 1, 2017, the report said. Saskatchewan Government Insurance monitors the operation of the buses through random inspections, while all drivers perform daily circle checks and performed their duties according to the requirements of The Education Act, The Highway Traffic Act and the Vehicle Administration Act.
There were three accidents during the 2018-19 school year that were the drivers’ fault. Two of the three buses required repairs and three incidents required claims sent to SGI.
The next Holy Trinity board meeting is March 16.
